A Journey of The Filthy Wanderer
by shallen17
Summary: Hizuri Koun is a prodigy soldier. When the war's end, he was dismissed and wander around the world. Filled with sorrow, finally he resigned to his fate at a large heath with a circle of trees. There where he met the devil and begin his journey as the filthy wanderer.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** : Skip Beat and it's character isn't mine.  
This story was inspired by "Bearskin" of Grimm Brothers Faity Tale.

 **Summary** : Hizuri Koun is a prodigy soldier. When the war's end, he was dismissed and wander around the world. Filled with sorrow, finally he resigned to his fate at a large heath with a circle of trees. There where he met the devil and begin his journey.

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 **Prologue**

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Once upon a time there was a young and handsome soldier by named Hizuri Kuon. He was a prodigy at his military school. He conducted himself bravely, and was always fought at the front line. But, when the war's end and the peace was made he was dismissed.

He returned to his village but discovered that his parents had died in his absence. He had no longer a home, so he went to wander around world with no money and help from the villager. He came to a large heath with nothing but a circle of trees. Feel with sorrowed, he resigned to his fate. In the middle of his thoughts, he heard a rustling sound and a chuckle of a man. The man wore a green jacket and looked decent, but he had a hideous foot.

"I know what you are in need of," said the man.

"Who are you," said Kuon.

"You can call me Reino the devil, or only Reino, or whatever you want to call me," said Reino "I have a very good proposition. You can have money and property as much as you want with all your might, but first I must know if you are fearless, so that I won't be giving away my money for nothing."

"A soldier and fear - how can those go together?" Kuon answered, "You can put me to the test."

"Very well," answered Reino, "look behind you."

Kuon turned around and saw a large growling bear running towards him.

"Aha," shouted Kuon, "I'll tickle your nose until you lose your desire for growling." Then taking aim at the bear, he shot it in the snout, and it fell down motionless.

"I see quite well, that you do not lack for courage, but there is one more condition that you will have to fulfill."

"If it does not endanger my salvation," answered Kuon, who knew quite well who was standing before him. "Otherwise I'll have nothing to do with it."

"You'll see about that for yourself. For the next seven years you are neither to wash yourself, nor comb your beard and hair, nor cut your nails, nor say the Lord's prayer. I will give you a jacket and a cloak, which you must wear during this time. If you die during these seven years, you soul is mine. If you stay alive, you are free, and rich as well, for all the rest of your life."

Koun thought about his desperate situation, and having faced death so often before, he decided to risk it now as well, and he entered into the agreement.

The devil took off his green jacket and gave it to him, saying, "Whenever you wear this jacket and reach into its pocket, you will find a handful of money."

Then he pulled the skin off the bear and said, "This shall be your cloak, and your bed as well, for you are to sleep on it, and you are not allowed to lie in any other bed." With that the devil disappeared.

He put on the jacket, immediately reached into the pocket, and found that the promise was really true. Then he put on the bearskin and went begin his journey into the world.

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 _ **see you next chapter...**_


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, Guys...  
I'm sorry for the late update.  
Thank you for the review and follow/favorite this story.  
I hope this chapter can satisfy you guys...

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 **Chapter 1 - The Golden Eyes Angel**

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The first year of his journey, Kuon's appearance wasn't so bad. The bearskin and his unhygienic practices were noticed, but for the most part, he was still acceptable as a human. But, after that his appearance slowly changing as a monster. His hair covered nearly his entire face. His beard looked like a piece of coarse felt cloth. His fingers had claws, and his face was so covered with dirt that if someone had planted cress on it, it would have grown. Everyone who saw him ran away.

Into his second year of the devil's deal Kuon relied heavily on the fact that his pockets would never empty and paid for the privilege of being seen as a man. Having never been much of a people person to begin with, the isolation from those around him didn't bother him terribly but as time wore on, even with money, he found that he wasn't spending the money for an inn room and a hot meal anymore. Now, his money bought him stale bread and a comfy stay in the outhouse.

One afternoon, in the middle of his third year, Kuon entered a new village and for preservations sake stuck to the shadows. Rounding the corner of the market place he saw a young girl dressed in most common and modest dress he had ever seen. The young girl smiled merrily at the people around her receiving warm greetings in return.

Kuon didn't realize that he had moved closer until he heard the girl's laugh ringing like springtime rain in his ears. Nor did he realize that his heart beat had increased or that his green eyes had softened for the first time in years. Long black hair fell softly around the young girl's white paled face and golden eyes shone with happiness as she trailed behind two finely dressed women.

As he followed behind, Kuon saw the girl's female companions gossip and point at the villagers around them, occasionally stopping to ogle and purchase some frivolous gem or item before pressing on, yelling back at the girl.

"Kyoko!" The long straight dark blue haired girl cried out turning around with her pretty gloved hands on her hips, "Stop lagging behind or we will leave you here with all the other riff raff."

The dirty blonde girl beside her giggled obnoxiously and added, "Won't uncle be happy not to have to worry about you!"

The girl, Kyoko turned and waved, her smile planted firmly on her face but Kuon saw the exaggerated roll of her eyes before the girl returned her attention to the vegetable vendor and paid the man's price for the vegetables she placed in a basket she carried.

As the girl walked near Kuon's hiding place, she must have seen the dark shadow because she stilled glancing at Kuon's deformed image and quickly back to her companions. Having seemingly made her decision, Kyoko stepped closer to Kuon who pressed himself further back into the shadows.

"Don't be afraid, sir," Kyoko said soothingly reaching a hand up to touch the furry mass. When Kuon pulled back even further, the girl allowed her hand to drop but not the gentle smile on her face. Grabbing the money purse on her side, Kuon watched as Kyoko tipped the bag, emptying its contents in one hand while the other grabbed the loaf of bread from her basket.

"It's all I have to offer," the young girl said and held out her gifts for Kuon to take. When Kuon shook his large furry head, words seeming to die on her lips, Kyoko laughed, but her eyes narrowed in warning. Kuon couldn't help but noticed that his breath hitched at such an open streak of stubbornness. "Don't be rude. I believe that if you have the money to share, it is your responsibility to do so. Take it."

Reaching forward with one dirt incrusted hand, his nails more like claws and the bear skin grimy and smelling, Kuon took the offering silently.

"Well then," Kyoko said stepping back, "that wasn't so bad."

"Kyoko!"

Her screeched name caused Kyoko to jump back and look around guiltily before screaming, "Whhhhhhaaaatttt? I heard you last time, Mimori! We all did!" Her arms waved wildly indicating the scattered villagers in the market place. Sighing, she turned once more to the shadow covered man, squinting to make out his features before frowning when Kuon pushed back farther into the darkness.

"Good day then," Kyoko mumbled and took off after the two retreating girls.

Kuon stepped partway into the sun and watched the three disappear at the edge of town. He still held the money and bread in his hands and opened his hand wide, letting the gold glitter in the sun.

The black hair girl had been right. How dare Kuon not share his new found wealth? Wasn't he in need of a hand up when the devil found him? If someone had helped him, shared what they could, would he be standing in the shadows, his skin so dirty and his face so hairy that it was impossible to tell where the cloak ended and he began?

Shaking his head, Kuon withdrew from the shadows and walked to the vegetable vendor that Kyoko had just left. The balding man stood in front of his wilting goods smiling at the passersby but on the other side of his stand two small children held on tightly to his legs, their skin pale and stretched while their large eyes took in everything around them. Without hesitation Kuon offered the man everything that Kyoko had given him and then reached into the pocket of the devil's green jacket and pulled out another handful of gold.

When Kuon nodded his furry head and turned to leave, he felt a change in weight and looked down to see that the vendor's children were now grasping tightly onto his own legs. The vendor came around from his table and smiled kindly up at Kuon.

"Sir, I can't possibly take this."

"I insist," Kuon growled, surprised to find that his voice was raspy from disuse.

"I must give you something in exchange." The vendor argued and his children nodded their eager heads.

For a moment Kuon thought and then gently prying the children from his knees said, "I'll have your prayers that I stay alive for another three and a half years. That is all I will accept."

With a quirk of his eyebrow the vendor nodded slowly and Kuon left the village. From then on, in every village that Kuon visited, the young soldier gave away his endless fortune to those in need asking for nothing more than their prayers for his survival.

And at night, when images of the golden eyes angel with long silky black hair filled his dreams, he knew that survival was all that he truly desired because he finally had something besides a soldier's pitiful soul to live for.

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Thank you for your support.  
See you next time..


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